Interview

Kid Crème: “I’m An Obsessive Perfectionist”

Kid Crème talks about starting out on the scene, producing limited tracks and his newest single.

He has been around since the 90’s and has released a slew of stand out tracks which placed him at the forefront of the House music scene. Kid Crème has released tracks on the likes of Defected Records amongst many other labels, performed across the world with his touring and production partner Junior Jack and achieved some momentous things. Now with a new track ‘Boy In The Picture’ on the scene, Kid Crème opens up about his start in the scene, the changing times and much more.

So looking back at the start of your career under Kid Crème and you made big waves with the right people and gained some serious recognition in the 90’s. How did this make you feel when you were beginning to be recognised within dance music and specifically the House music scene?

The scene was smaller back then, we had no social media, so we actually discovered quite late the impact of our tracks on the scene compared to now. The only way to get feedback was by playing the track and seeing what happened. It felt good!

And tell us a little about your relationship with Junior Jack, your touring and production partner?

We met up in a studio in Brussels. I was 19 years old, we started hanging out together and finally realised we were the two only aliens producing house music in Belgium (which was the country of techno back then). We naturally started getting closer, then step by step our productions started crossing over in the UK, gig requests arrived, and from there it never really stopped, everything built up really naturally.

Since the 90’s and through to the current time, the dance music scene has seen a very big change. How has Kid Crème witnessed and change, and has this change affected you in terms of your career and the way in which you carry out tasks?

Technology evolved, building a project studio cost 50x less than before, self promotion is almost a standard now. The good thing is, that it gives easy and totally inexpensive access to the world of production to everyone letting amazing new emerging talent through while also flooding the market with crap in the same time. Nothing is perfect but it’s part of the game. The way people consume music is also totally different too. They don’t necessarily “buy” music anymore, but they go out more often. In the nineties, we produced a track then we had to go on tour to promote it, today I produce a track to promote my DJ sets…

Taking things up to the current day and you recently released the highly infectious ‘Boy In The Picture’ with Jolyon Petch and Sian Evans. Tell us a little about the track and how it came about?

Jolyon was at ADE in Amsterdam, he grabbed a plane to visit me and eventually we started jamming on a new collab. The day he arrived he told me “let’s call Sian, I know her, I’m sure she will love to come and sketch a few songs with us”. He called her, she said “cool” and we booked the flight ticket, the day after she was there. The night before she arrived I sketched 15 different chord progression with one kick. She picked five and started writing, three days later she left. We had 5 songs down …it was like an epiphany, extremely intense. From there we started arranging ‘Boy In the Picture’ to find the best way to make the song shine.

This isn’t the first time you have worked with Jolyon Petch. I’m guessing the two of you work quite well in the studio together?

Jolyon is actually really good at kicking my ass. I’m more chill…and he has a good vibe in the studio.

And working with Sian Evans must have been something special, to include her vocals on ‘Boy In The Picture’?

Working with Sian was very cool. She’s fast, very talented and most important for a singer, she can keep her ego outside of the studio. I love her. We directly clicked.

Now what I find very interesting is that you release music in very limited supplies, which keeps demand very high when they are released. Is there a specific reason as to why you only produce and release small amounts of music?

Not really; I’ve never been an hardcore releaser. There is at least three reasons I could see. First I’m still closer to a crafter than a factory. I’m recording, mixing and producing myself and I’m quiet an obsessive perfectionist. Second, I produce under different aliases and third, between the time I finish a project and the time I release it, there is sometimes more than a year in between. It gives me the time to forget and come back to the project, then see if it’s relevant to release it or not. I ‘m not sure it’s a good method, but it has been mine for years now. ‘Austin’s Groove’ was finished for almost two years before it was released…

On to the future and what can fans of Kid Creme look out for over the next few months? New music, tour dates?

Some more remixes of ‘Boy In The Picture’, we’ve got a serious pack with good names on the way. Considering the request I received on my socials from the initial release I did a dub version of the “Creme extended Mix” which I really like, focusing more on the bassline. A new collab on the way as well, back to funky house for a track.. it has been a long time since I picked up the bass ;)

I also wanted to ask, now that there are so many talented producers on the scene, is there anyone you would particularly like to work with within the studio?

Hummm, honestly no. my collaborations most of the time are suggested by the vibe of the people as much as their talent. If they have both it’s perfect.

Rounding off, from your own experience over the years in the scene, what would be your one piece of advice for a new and upcoming artist looking to break onto the scene?

Kid Crème

He has been around since the 90’s and has released a slew of stand out tracks which placed him at the forefront of the House music scene. Kid Crème has released tracks on the likes of Defected Records amongst many other labels, performed across the world with his touring and production partner Junior Jack and achieved some momentous things. Now with a new track ‘Boy In The Picture’ on the scene, Kid Crème opens up about his start in the scene, the changing times and much more.

So looking back at the start of your career under Kid Crème and you made big waves with the right people and gained some serious recognition in the 90’s. How did this make you feel when you were beginning to be recognised within dance music and specifically the House music scene?

The scene was smaller back then, we had no social media, so we actually discovered quite late the impact of our tracks on the scene compared to now. The only way to get feedback was by playing the track and seeing what happened. It felt good!

And tell us a little about your relationship with Junior Jack, your touring and production partner?

Kid Crème

We met up in a studio in Brussels. I was 19 years old, we started hanging out together and finally realised we were the two only aliens producing house music in Belgium (which was the country of techno back then). We naturally started getting closer, then step by step our productions started crossing over in the UK, gig requests arrived, and from there it never really stopped, everything built up really naturally.

Since the 90’s and through to the current time, the dance music scene has seen a very big change. How has Kid Crème witnessed and change, and has this change affected you in terms of your career and the way in which you carry out tasks?

Technology evolved, building a project studio cost 50x less than before, self promotion is almost a standard now. The good thing is, that it gives easy and totally inexpensive access to the world of production to everyone letting amazing new emerging talent through while also flooding the market with crap in the same time. Nothing is perfect but it’s part of the game. The way people consume music is also totally different too. They don’t necessarily “buy” music anymore, but they go out more often. In the nineties, we produced a track then we had to go on tour to promote it, today I produce a track to promote my DJ sets…

Taking things up to the current day and you recently released the highly infectious ‘Boy In The Picture’ with Jolyon Petch and Sian Evans. Tell us a little about the track and how it came about?

Kid Crème

Jolyon was at ADE in Amsterdam, he grabbed a plane to visit me and eventually we started jamming on a new collab. The day he arrived he told me “let’s call Sian, I know her, I’m sure she will love to come and sketch a few songs with us”. He called her, she said “cool” and we booked the flight ticket, the day after she was there. The night before she arrived I sketched 15 different chord progression with one kick. She picked five and started writing, three days later she left. We had 5 songs down …it was like an epiphany, extremely intense. From there we started arranging ‘Boy In the Picture’ to find the best way to make the song shine.

This isn’t the first time you have worked with Jolyon Petch. I’m guessing the two of you work quite well in the studio together?

Jolyon is actually really good at kicking my ass. I’m more chill…and he has a good vibe in the studio.

And working with Sian Evans must have been something special, to include her vocals on ‘Boy In The Picture’?

Working with Sian was very cool. She’s fast, very talented and most important for a singer, she can keep her ego outside of the studio. I love her. We directly clicked.

Kid Crème

Now what I find very interesting is that you release music in very limited supplies, which keeps demand very high when they are released. Is there a specific reason as to why you only produce and release small amounts of music?

Not really; I’ve never been an hardcore releaser. There is at least three reasons I could see. First I’m still closer to a crafter than a factory. I’m recording, mixing and producing myself and I’m quiet an obsessive perfectionist. Second, I produce under different aliases and third, between the time I finish a project and the time I release it, there is sometimes more than a year in between. It gives me the time to forget and come back to the project, then see if it’s relevant to release it or not. I ‘m not sure it’s a good method, but it has been mine for years now. ‘Austin’s Groove’ was finished for almost two years before it was released…

On to the future and what can fans of Kid Creme look out for over the next few months? New music, tour dates?

Some more remixes of ‘Boy In The Picture’, we’ve got a serious pack with good names on the way. Considering the request I received on my socials from the initial release I did a dub version of the “Creme extended Mix” which I really like, focusing more on the bassline. A new collab on the way as well, back to funky house for a track.. it has been a long time since I picked up the bass ;)

I also wanted to ask, now that there are so many talented producers on the scene, is there anyone you would particularly like to work with within the studio?

Kid Crème

Hummm, honestly no. my collaborations most of the time are suggested by the vibe of the people as much as their talent. If they have both it’s perfect.

Rounding off, from your own experience over the years in the scene, what would be your one piece of advice for a new and upcoming artist looking to break onto the scene?